(Part 10) Can't Always Have What You Want (1b/?) (Fem!US/Fem!UK)
anonymous
December 26 2011, 05:44:30 UTC
She pushed the memories aside. "Gold rush and all." She reminded her. "Still finding some mines out west. But it's not all pretty and civilized out there."
Matilda shook her head, though she wasn't sure why until she spoke. "Civilized. You come here to discuss war alliances, Ann-America. How civilized are we? A thousand years has brought us nowhere, it seems."
The words seemed to freeze in her blood, and for a moment she couldn't think of a reply. She forced a smile to her lips - determined not to be swallowed by the doubt and fear those words invoked in her. "A thousand years. Wow, you really are an old bitty."
"You! You impudent little urchin!"
The fan slammed into her arm, and ouch, it was sturdier than it looked. She gave a laugh, stepping back. "Aw, don't be like that, England. What will the representatives think if they come back to you attacking your ally?"
Matilda gave a completely inelegant snort. "I'd assure them you deserved it."
"For being a rude, uneducated child?"
"Precisely."
"Need to work on this allies thing."
"It's just a statement of support. We won't even be really fighting together. Don't put too much stock in it, child. Today's ally is tomorrow's enemy."
"Not in our case, right?" She felt her smile fade a bit.
Matilda seemed to hesitate. "What are you suggesting? That you want us to be friends?"
Annie paused, surprised by the words. Taken back by the suggestion. Matilda's eyes were very green in that moment, and the gown maybe wasn't as bad as she'd first thought. Candles flickered in the meeting hall, and she wondered if the night was holding its breath or if just she was.
And it was a tempting offer. Friends. A concept that she hadn't considered having among the other nations until this moment. But she was a young nation, still proving herself in the eyes of the world. England was an established Empire. One she'd broken away from no less. She could almost hear France mocking her that if she'd intended to retie herself to her mother's apron strings, he wouldn't have helped her cut them to begin with...
She gave a laugh, backing up - shattering whatever spell had held it's sway over them. "Friends? Don't get sentimental on me, old bitty."
Instead of growing furious, and giving her more of a beating by her fan, Matilda's eyes seemed to dim. Her posture stiffened. "Have it as you will, child." Turning on her heel, she exited the room.
More than words, the look in the other's eyes made her feel cold again. For a moment she'd almost seemed hurt by her response. There was a time everything she'd done had brought joy to Matilda's eyes. Crossing to the window, Annie looked out over the rainy streets of London. Texas hung heavily around her neck, and a wound that refused to fully heal pained her where it slashed across her hips. Sometimes, when she made the wrong move, the wound would reopen.
Was this what it meant to be an adult nation? The pressing weight of responsibility, old wounds combined with new wounds, and having to worry that you couldn't trust your ally anymore than your enemy? Were all nations so alone? Was it wrong to want someone who you could depend on to help you? It was enough to make her long for being small again. When a skimmed knee was the worst of wounds, and her greatest moral dilemma was the guilt of having stolen a cookie from the kitchen before dinner.
But one couldn't take time back. And she wouldn't change the past even if she could. Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders she turned from the window, placing Texas on her head, and exited the hall as well.
(Part 10) Can't Always Have What You Want (1 - Notes) (Fem!US/Fem!UK)
anonymous
December 26 2011, 05:45:44 UTC
I noticed a lot of people use Anne for Fem!England, so this might throw people off. I don't think I've seen any official names for the fem!Nations, though. Explanations for the names are pretty easy:
Anne/Annie: As it's probably easy to guess from the opening scene - Anne was for Anne Boleyn. Annie, obviously, for Annie Oakley. I've never seen one where a nation changed their human name, which is interesting since they live for so long, I'd see no reason not to. And I thought it would be pointed for Annie to change her name.
Matilda: In part for Queen Matilda, and in part for the children's novel. Both seemed fitting references for fem!England.
Texas: Never seen fem!America with glasses, but I've almost always scene her with her cowboy hat. So I figured cowboy hat=Texas would be a fun thing to do.
Final Scene: This would be my take on The Great Rapprochement. As well as taking a bit from the canon scene where England offers to be America's friend.
The start up is very slow, I realize. There's a lot of time skips. We'll be touching on World War I next, and I'll warn ahead for an OC. She's there to help forward the story, though. So hopefully it won't turn anyone off the story. This will eventually be US/UK. But we're going to take awhile to get there.
Re: (Part 10) Can't Always Have What You Want (1 - Notes) (Fem!US/Fem!UK)
anonymous
December 26 2011, 13:33:39 UTC
This is a great fill! The descriptions, the characterizations, the historical bent...
I'm looking forward to seeing more of this :D (just make sure you say who the OC actually is before we get into it. People like to drop names in fic and it tends to confuse me)
Re: (Part 10) Can't Always Have What You Want (1 - Notes) (Fem!US/Fem!UK)
anonymous
January 4 2012, 01:49:29 UTC
Thank-you! It's nice to know someone actually read it. XD And I'm glad you like the characterizations and historical side of the fic.
Believe me, there's no missing who the OC is in the chapter. She's pretty much introduced like, "Hi, OC here.". But she is only around for that part. (I do hope you'll like her anyhow.)
She pushed the memories aside. "Gold rush and all." She reminded her. "Still finding some mines out west. But it's not all pretty and civilized out there."
Matilda shook her head, though she wasn't sure why until she spoke. "Civilized. You come here to discuss war alliances, Ann-America. How civilized are we? A thousand years has brought us nowhere, it seems."
The words seemed to freeze in her blood, and for a moment she couldn't think of a reply. She forced a smile to her lips - determined not to be swallowed by the doubt and fear those words invoked in her. "A thousand years. Wow, you really are an old bitty."
"You! You impudent little urchin!"
The fan slammed into her arm, and ouch, it was sturdier than it looked. She gave a laugh, stepping back. "Aw, don't be like that, England. What will the representatives think if they come back to you attacking your ally?"
Matilda gave a completely inelegant snort. "I'd assure them you deserved it."
"For being a rude, uneducated child?"
"Precisely."
"Need to work on this allies thing."
"It's just a statement of support. We won't even be really fighting together. Don't put too much stock in it, child. Today's ally is tomorrow's enemy."
"Not in our case, right?" She felt her smile fade a bit.
Matilda seemed to hesitate. "What are you suggesting? That you want us to be friends?"
Annie paused, surprised by the words. Taken back by the suggestion. Matilda's eyes were very green in that moment, and the gown maybe wasn't as bad as she'd first thought. Candles flickered in the meeting hall, and she wondered if the night was holding its breath or if just she was.
And it was a tempting offer. Friends. A concept that she hadn't considered having among the other nations until this moment. But she was a young nation, still proving herself in the eyes of the world. England was an established Empire. One she'd broken away from no less. She could almost hear France mocking her that if she'd intended to retie herself to her mother's apron strings, he wouldn't have helped her cut them to begin with...
She gave a laugh, backing up - shattering whatever spell had held it's sway over them. "Friends? Don't get sentimental on me, old bitty."
Instead of growing furious, and giving her more of a beating by her fan, Matilda's eyes seemed to dim. Her posture stiffened. "Have it as you will, child." Turning on her heel, she exited the room.
More than words, the look in the other's eyes made her feel cold again. For a moment she'd almost seemed hurt by her response. There was a time everything she'd done had brought joy to Matilda's eyes. Crossing to the window, Annie looked out over the rainy streets of London. Texas hung heavily around her neck, and a wound that refused to fully heal pained her where it slashed across her hips. Sometimes, when she made the wrong move, the wound would reopen.
Was this what it meant to be an adult nation? The pressing weight of responsibility, old wounds combined with new wounds, and having to worry that you couldn't trust your ally anymore than your enemy? Were all nations so alone? Was it wrong to want someone who you could depend on to help you? It was enough to make her long for being small again. When a skimmed knee was the worst of wounds, and her greatest moral dilemma was the guilt of having stolen a cookie from the kitchen before dinner.
But one couldn't take time back. And she wouldn't change the past even if she could. Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders she turned from the window, placing Texas on her head, and exited the hall as well.
To Be Continued...
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Anne/Annie: As it's probably easy to guess from the opening scene - Anne was for Anne Boleyn. Annie, obviously, for Annie Oakley. I've never seen one where a nation changed their human name, which is interesting since they live for so long, I'd see no reason not to. And I thought it would be pointed for Annie to change her name.
Matilda: In part for Queen Matilda, and in part for the children's novel. Both seemed fitting references for fem!England.
Texas: Never seen fem!America with glasses, but I've almost always scene her with her cowboy hat. So I figured cowboy hat=Texas would be a fun thing to do.
Final Scene: This would be my take on The Great Rapprochement. As well as taking a bit from the canon scene where England offers to be America's friend.
The start up is very slow, I realize. There's a lot of time skips. We'll be touching on World War I next, and I'll warn ahead for an OC. She's there to help forward the story, though. So hopefully it won't turn anyone off the story. This will eventually be US/UK. But we're going to take awhile to get there.
Reply
I'm looking forward to seeing more of this :D
(just make sure you say who the OC actually is before we get into it. People like to drop names in fic and it tends to confuse me)
Reply
Believe me, there's no missing who the OC is in the chapter. She's pretty much introduced like, "Hi, OC here.". But she is only around for that part. (I do hope you'll like her anyhow.)
Reply
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